Tips for Keeping Your Eyes Safe

An Australian study found that one in eight people have glaucoma by the age of 80. Still, as scary as these numbers may sound, many vision problems can be treated and, in some cases, even prevented by doing some simple, healthy things. So, don’t forget how important your eyes are. Follow these simple steps to keep them in good shape.

Eat Balanced Meals Every Day

Taking care of your eyes starts with what you put on your plate. Omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, and vitamins C and E may help prevent age-related vision problems like cataracts and macular degeneration. To get them, you need to eat:

Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and collards, oily fish, seafood in general, pork, eggs, legumes, beans, and a variety of fruits, especially citrus. A healthy weight is another benefit of eating a well-balanced diet. This lowers your chances of being overweight and getting diseases like type 2 diabetes, which is the main reason adults go blind.

Opt for Natural Eye Makeup Whenever You Can

What is meant by mineral makeup? Basically, it’s finely ground powder foundation or cosmetic that is made of 100% natural minerals like titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, mica, and iron oxide. It shouldn’t have any dyes, scents, or preservatives.

For example, on the beauty market, there are now eyes makeup natural with minerals that are gentle on the skin around the eyes and won’t dry it out. Minerals also stick to oils, so if you have oily eyelids, mineral eye shadows can be a good choice if you don’t want your eye shadow to wear off during the day.

The oil-binding properties of pure mineral makeup mean that the natural oils your skin make become a base for your makeup. This makes it easier to apply eye shadow and gives it a smoother finish. Look for eyes makeup natural and formulated with non-nano titanium oxide and zinc oxide, two ingredients that physically block sun damage.

While sunscreen is a must, it’s nice to think of your eye shadow as an extra safety net to help protect the delicate skin on your eyelids from those rays. Zinc oxide can also help calm skin conditions like rosacea and eczema because it can stop inflammation.

Wear Sunglasses Year-round

With the right pair of sunglasses, the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays won’t hurt your eyes as much. When you get too much UV light, your chances of getting cataracts and macular degeneration go up. Choose a pair that blocks 99% to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays. The sides of your eyes are protected by lenses that go all the way around.

Polarized lenses cut down on glare while you’re driving, but they don’t always make your eyes safer. Some contact lenses protect your eyes from UV light if you wear them. Sunglasses are still a good idea as an extra layer that’s a stylish and at the same time more affordable solution if you get the sunglasses lenses upgrade models.

Wear Safety Glasses at Work

Wear safety glasses or goggles if you work with dangerous or airborne materials at work or at home. Ice hockey, racquetball, and lacrosse are all sports that can hurt your eyes. Additionally, you can wear a helmet with a face mask or sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses.

Take Your Eyes Off the Screen

Staring at a computer or phone screen for too long can cause a lot of problems, like eyestrain, blurry vision, headaches, and other pains in different parts of the body. To keep your eyes safe make sure the prescription for your glasses or contacts is up to date and good for looking at a computer screen.

Talk to your doctor about computer glasses if your eye strain won’t go away. Move the screen so that the top of the screen is at eye level. So, you can look a little bit down at the screen. If your eyes are dry, blink more or use tear drops. Every 20 minutes, give your eyes a break and for 20 seconds, look at something far away. Get up and take a 15-minute break at least every two hours. Also, try to stay away from light and window glare. Use a screen that reduces glare if you need to.

Visit Your Eye Doctor Regularly

Even young children need to have their eyes checked regularly. It protects your eyes and lets you see the best you can. Eye exams can also find diseases with no symptoms, like glaucoma. It’s important to find them early when they’re easier to treat.

Depending on what you need for your eye health, you can see ophthalmologists who are doctors with focus on taking care of the eyes. They can take care of your eyes in general, treat eye diseases, and do eye surgery. Or you can see optometrists who aren’t doctors but they are specialized in general eye care and can find and treat most eye diseases. They don’t do surgery on the eyes but can probably let you know if you need one.

Quit Smoking Cigarettes

It makes you more likely to get cataracts, damage to your optic nerve, and macular degeneration, among many other health problems. If you’ve tried to stop smoking before and failed, don’t give up. The more times you try to stop, the more likely it is that you will be able to. Get help from your doctor.